Merchandising display facing

ABSTRACT

A merchandising display facing including a plurality of interlocking indicia plates, and a plurality of holding means for securing the plates in position on the display facing. The holding means includes rails that are connected to a background backing paneling of the display sign supporting structure when indicia plates are supported by the holding means. The holding means includes rails connected to adjustable mounting means that are connected to an existing display sign supporting structure when combination indicia-background plates are supported by the holding means. The interlocking plates include either indicia material or a combination of indicia-background material between the forward and rear surfaces of the plates adjacent the forward surface. The plates are both translucent or opaque, depending upon the desire to back-illuminate the display.

United States Patent 8 Goodman [4 1 Aug. 22, 1972 [54] MERCHANDISING DISPLAY FACING [72] Inventor: Irvin Goodman N rth M' Primary Examiner Roben Michell Beacfi Fla o lam] Assistant Examiner-Wenceslao J. Contreras Attorne -Eu ene F. Malin [73] Assignee: Lee Haberman, Fort Lauderdale, y g

57 ABSTRACT [22] Filed: 1970 A merchandising display facing including a plurality of [21] L N 212 interlocking indicia plates, and a plurality of holding means for securing the plates in position on the display facing. The holding means includes rails that are Egg. ..40/140,(;i8 connected to a background backing paneling of the s ig pp ti g t tu h i di i pl Field Of Search ..40/l40, 142,135, 2, l6, 10 are Supported y the l i g means The holding means includes rails connected to adjustable mounting [56] References C'ted means that are connected toan existing display sign UNITED STATES PATENTS supporting structure when combination indiciabackground plates. are supported by the holding 2,295,467 9/1942 y-----' R means. The interlocking plates include either indicia 2,501,084 3/ 1950 Ownbey ..'...-.40/l4l material' or a combination f indicia backgmund 1,071,226 8/1913' Goodsell 40/2 X material between the f d and rear surfaces of the 1,349,396 8/1920 Van Chef ..40/2 plates'adjacent the forward Su a h Platesare 1,775,725 9/1930 Keith ..'.....40/l40 both translucent or opaque, depending upon the g desire to back-illuminate the display. onne 3,531,884 10/ 1970 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Adler ..40/ 140 Pmmmwsez m2 3.685; 186 sum 1 BF 2 Fl 3 I INVENTOR.

MERCHANDISING DISPLAY FACING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a new and improved merchandising display facing including a plurality of interlocking character plates and holding means for supporting the plates.

In the past, display sign structures were permanently connected to a building. The display sign structures included frame and wall members holding a corrugated or flat translucent backing panel in front of an illuminating means. The character or letter holding means are permanently supported by the frame and wall members in front of the backing panel. The appearance of the display sign structures is only changed by varying the order of the character or letter plates in the holding means.

existing supporting structure or an existing display'sign I supporting structure in sucha manner to provide illumination to the rear of the display facing. The merchandising display facing includes display plates, and holding means connected to the'display sign structure to support a plurality of rows of display plates.

The first embodiment-of the display facing includes a plurality of indicia-background plates and holding means that include rails and adjustable mounting means. The combination indicia-background plates include colored background material about indicia material having a two tone prismatic or graphic design. The colored background material and indicia design are molded between the forward and rear surfaces of the plate adjacent the forward surface. The mounting means are adjustable to vary the spacing between the display sign supporting structure and rails that hold the display plates. The mounting means are fixed to most existing display sign supporting structures and projects toward the open front of the display structure. A plurality of rails are removably connected to the distal ends of the mounting means to provide lateral support for the indicia-background plates.

The second embodiment of the display facing includes a plurality of indicia plates, and holding means. The indicia plates includes material having a two tone prismatic or graphic design molded between the forward and rear surfaces of the plate adjacent the forward surface. The holding means includes rails connected directly to the corrugated or flat translucent backing panel of the display sign supporting structure. The rails are affixed to the backing panel to support the indicia plates. 7

The object of this invention is to provide an economical means for a merchant or others to change merchandising copy for advertising, that can be attached to existing display structures, signs, pylons, and directories. It is also an object of this invention to provide a merchandising display facing that reduces installation costs. Another object of this invention is to provide display facing that may be installed by unskilled labor. Another object of this invention is to provide noncomplex interlocking display plates. A further object of this invention is to provide a combination indicia-background plate. A further object of this invention is to provide a display plate having a combination of indicia and background material between the forward and rear face of the plate. A further object of this invention is to provide an indicia design molded just below the surface of the forward surface of the display plate to provide good weatherability and protection from fading in sunlight. Another object of this inven tion is to provide display plates with feet thereon for mobility. An additional object of this invention is to provide an easily changeable panel and rail means.

In accordance with these and other objects which will be apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG, 1 is a partial view of cross section of the indiciabackground plates connected to rails and mounting DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now in detail to the drawing, wherein the first embodiment of the invention is shown, and referring, particularly, to FIG. 1, showing a partial cross-sectional view of the merchandising display facing, generally designated by numeral 2, that includes a plurality of interlocking character plates 4 and 6, and a plurality of holding means, generally designated by numeral 8. The holding means includes rail means 10 and 12, and adjustable mounting means 14 and 16. The mounting means are connected to the back wall 18 of the display sign supporting structure. The display sign supporting structure includes frame members or angle irons, such as angle irons 20 and 22, that support the far side wall24, the near side wall, not shown, and top and bottom walls, not shown.

Each of the rail means include an upper groove 26 and a lower groove 28. The lower groove is deeper than the upper groove. The forward portion 30 of the rail holds the plates against the rear portion 32 of the rail. The rear portion includes a snap-on means 34 to detachably connect the rail means to the adjustable mounting means 14.

The adjustable mounting means 14 includes a base member 36, a moveable portion 38, and a connecting portion 40 affixed to the moveable portion 38. The base member 36 is permanently connected to the display sign supporting structure. The moveable portion 38 is moveably connected to the base member 36 for adjusting the distance from wall 18 to distal male connectors portions 42 and 44 on the connecting portion 40. Adjustable mounting portion 38 is connected to the base member- 36 by slide connectors 46 and 48. The slide connector bolts 46 and 48 pass through the elongated slots 50 and 54, respectively, in the moveable portion 38 and elongated slots 52 and 56, respectively, in the base member 36. The bolts are tightened to fix the position of the moveable portion 38 on the base member 36.

Referring now to FIG. 2, showing plate 6 with the combination of a letter character 58 and a background portion 60 in the plate. The sides 62 and 64 of the plate are molded with faces at a 45 angle to the face of plate in order to provide edges that interlock with the edges of adjacent plates. The interlocking edges hold each adjacent plate in each row in an interlocking arrangement. The lower edges of each plate include feet 66. The feet allow foreign material lying in the bottom of the upper groove of the rail to be removed easily. When the plates are slid sideways in the rail, the feet move the foreign matter toward drain holes, not shown, in the bottom of the upper groove. The drain holes are drilled through the base of the upper groove at spaced intervals. Also, the feet allows water to flow freely, in the upper groove into the adjacent drain hole. The flowing water will carry away foreign matter in the groove. The foreign matter must be removed from the upper groove to prevent the debris from building up and cast a shadow on the display facing.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of plate 6 with the interlocking side portions 62 and 64, adjacent similar plates. Plate 6 includes a letter indicia 58 held between the rear surface 66 and the front forward surface'68 of the panel. Both the letter indicia and the background material are located just beneath the forward surface 68.

The second embodiment of the display facing, as shown in FIG. 4, includes a plurality of rail members holding a plurality of plates 72 against a display structure background panel 74. Rail member 70 is connected to the background panel 74. The dual rail member 70 is fixed laterally across the face of the display structure. The dual rail member includes an upper groove 76 and a lower groove 78. The lower groove 78 is deeper than upper groove 76. The lowest rail 80 connected to panel 74 is similar to the upper portion of the rail member 70. The highest rail, not shown, is similar to the lower portion of the rail member 70. The display plates are supported in grooves or guide slots in the rail members.

The indicia plate 72 includes interlocking side portions 80 and 82, as shown in FIG. 5. The letter character 84 is located between the rear surface 86 and forward surface 86 of the plate 72. The letter character 84 is molded into the plate just beneath the forward surface 88.

In use, the plates are first inserted into the deeper lower groove 28 or 78, as shown in FIGS. 1 or 4, until the lower edge of the plate passes over the next lower rail. Thereafter, the plate is moved inwardly and lowered into the upper groove of the next adjacent lower rail. The plate is held in place between the adjacent rails.

The extruded rail means 70, as shown in FIG. 6, includes a longitudinal braking slot 90. The rail means may be easily broken into two pieces along the braking slot 90. The right hand piece 92 forms the lowest rail member on the merchandising display facing. The left hand piece 94 forms the uppermost or highest rail l li i ri t z ifi t iriii r ffib ri described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

What is claimed is: v

l. A merchandising display facing for a display structure comprising:

holding means connected to the display structure,

display plates including a body portion with indicia between the front and rear face of the body portion held by said holding means,

said holding means includes a plurality of a mounting means, and

a plurality of rails removably connected to said mounting means.

2. A merchandising display facing for a display structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein;

said adjustable mounting means includes a fixed base member and an adjustable mounting portion slidable connected to said base member.

3. A merchandising display facing for a display structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein;

said body portion includes. combination of indicia and background between the front and rear faces of the body portion.

4. A merchandising display facing for a display structure as set forth in claim 3, wherein;

said body portion includes interlocking sides for interlocking adjacent plates one to the other.

5. A merchandising display facing for a display structure as set forth in claim 4, wherein;

said body portion includes feet projecting downwardly from the lower edge of said body portion.

6. A merchandising display facing for a display structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein;

said rail includes a snap-on connector for attaching said rail to said adjustable mounting portion,

said rail includes an upper groove for the base of the plates and a deeper lower groove for the upper edge of the plates.

justable 

1. A merchandising display facing for a display structure comprising: holding means connected to the display structure, display plates including a body portion with indicia between the front and rear face of the body portion held by said holding means, said holding means includes a plurality of adjustable mounting means, and a plurality of rails removably connected to said mounting means.
 2. A merchandising display facing for a display structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein; said adjuStable mounting means includes a fixed base member and an adjustable mounting portion slidable connected to said base member.
 3. A merchandising display facing for a display structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein; said body portion includes combination of indicia and background between the front and rear faces of the body portion.
 4. A merchandising display facing for a display structure as set forth in claim 3, wherein; said body portion includes interlocking sides for interlocking adjacent plates one to the other.
 5. A merchandising display facing for a display structure as set forth in claim 4, wherein; said body portion includes feet projecting downwardly from the lower edge of said body portion.
 6. A merchandising display facing for a display structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein; said rail includes a snap-on connector for attaching said rail to said adjustable mounting portion, said rail includes an upper groove for the base of the plates and a deeper lower groove for the upper edge of the plates. 